Koochiching County voter precincts stood out in Tuesday’s election — the county was the first in the state to submit 100 percent of the total votes and had a 69.77 percent voter turnout.
For an election that did not include a vote for president, Koochiching County Auditor/Treasurer Bob Peterson said he felt the voter turnout was very good.
Overall, Peterson said voting in the county went smoothly with one glitch in a Littlefork voting machine that was quickly fixed.
Both locally and countywide, the area saw some close contests.
The race for the seat of District 4 county commissioner between newcomers Rob Ecklund and Bob Anderson was separated by just less than 100 votes. Ecklund clinched the seat with 636 votes or 53.72 percent and Anderson had 544 votes or 45.95 percent.
“We knew the race between Bob and Rob was going to be a close one,” said Peterson.
Winners for the International Falls Independent School District 361 School Board was also decided by a small margin of votes. Incumbent Willi Kostiuk led with 2,591 votes, or 27.24 percent, and the remaining four candidates came out neck-and-neck. Winners Dena Budde Wenberg had 1,866 votes, or 19.62 percent, and Darrell “Boxer” Wagner had 1,694 votes, or 17.81 percent. Gordy Dault trailed with 1,677 votes, or 17.63 percent, and Robin Baumchen had 1,653 votes, or 17.38 percent.
Despite the win of newcomer Chip Cravaack over longtime incumbent Jim Oberstar for the U.S. Representative District 8 seat, Koochiching County voted in favor of Oberstar with 2,664 votes over Cravaack’s 2,167.
“In our county, Oberstar won by 10 percentage points,” Peterson explained.
The race for Minnesota governor has yet to be decided and will need to be recounted after local precincts canvass their election results. So far, statewide results show DFL candidate Mark Dayton in the lead with 919,216 votes or 43.63 percent over Republican Tom Emmer who has 910,442 votes or 43.21 percent.
Koochiching County voters favored Dayton with 2,880 votes. Emmer received 1,653 votes.
For a complete listing of the election results, visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.state.mn.us.
How Koochiching County voted
Race Koochiching Overall
County
Governor
(I) Tom Horner and James Mulder 8.21% 11.94%
(R) Tom Emmer and Ammette Meels 32.71% 43.21%
(D) Mark Dayton and Yvonne Prettner Solon 57.00% 43.63%
U.S. Representative District 8
(I) Timothy Olson 3.85% 4.29%
(R) Chip Cravaack 42.74% 48.18%
(D) James Oberstar 52.54% 46.59%
State Senator District 3
(R) Dan McGuire 36.79% 42.12%
(D) Tom Saxhaug 63.07% 57.75%
State Representative District 3A
(R) Marv Ott 39.30% 41.21%
(D) Tom Anzelc 60.54% 58.66%
Secretary of State
(I) Jual Carlson 7.33% 5.19%
(R) Dan Severson 39.08% 45.64&
(D) Mark Ritchie 53.48% 49.10%
State Auditor
(R) Patricia Anderson 42.47% 47.13%
(D) Rebecca Otto 52.71% 48.39%
Attorney General
(I) Bill Dahn 6.00% 5.06%
(R) Chris Barden 33.33% 41.27%
(D) Lori Swanson 59.59% 52.90%
Results from county, city, state races
Koochiching County
The following incumbents ran unopposed.
• County Auditor/Treasurer — Robert (Bob) Peterson: 4,450
• County Recorder — Pamela Rooney: 4, 370
• County Sheriff — Brian Youso: 4,524
• District 1 commissioner — Wade Pavleck: 1,016.
International Falls City Council
The following incumbents ran unopposed.
• East Ward councilor — Paul Eklund: 542
• Center Ward councilor — Gail Rognerud: 498
• West Ward councilor — Cynthia Jaksa: 846
Littlefork City Council
• Mayor — Mike Fort: 206.
• Council (two seats open) — Kevin Sather: 184, Brian F. Lindvall: 188
Big Falls Council
• Mayor — Rod Burmeister: 104, Louis Slapnicher: 13
• Council (two seats open) — Shawn Pritchard: 88, Donna Dauphinais: 74, Leslie Lepisto: 49, Laura Larson: 29
Other issues decided Tuesday:
Judge
Court of Appeals 14: Dan Griffith —716,609 votes; Larry Stauber Jr. — 771,373
Shall the City of Big Falls be allowed to sell on-sale intoxicating liquor at the Big Falls Municipal Liquor Store on Sundays? Yes - 48; No - 77
Shall the School Board of Independent School District No. 362 (Littlefork-Big Falls), Minnesota, be authorized to issue general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $495,000 to finance classroom upgrades and technology improvements, and other costs related to the acquisition of equipment and betterment of school facilities?
Yes - 406; No - 145
